Tape applicating and severing means

ABSTRACT

A TAPE DISPENSION DEVICE IN WHICH THE TAPE IS TRANSPORTED FROM A REST POSITION TO A DISPENSED POSITION ON THE SURFACE OF A MEMBER TO WHICH IT IS ATTRACTED BY A PHYSICAL FORCE AND INCLUDING STATIONARY BRIDGE MEANS FOR LIFTING SUCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE TAPE FROM THE TRANSPORT MEMBER INTERMEDIATE THE REST AND DISPENSED POSITIONS AS THE TAPE IS MOVED AND MEANS FOR SEVERING THE TAPE IN THE LIFTED AREA TO PREMIT DISPENSING OF RANDOM LENGTHS.

June 22, 1971 J. v. BERG 3,586,586

TAPE APPLICATING AND SEVERING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

J/QCK K 552 June 1971 J. v. BERG 3,586,586

TAPE APPLICATING AND SEVERING MEANS Filed Dec. 15, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F76. .3 F/ ij HHHIIIIIHIIIHHW IHHHIHHHHHHI I NVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,586,586 TAPE APPLICATING AND SEVERING MEANS Jack Berg, 2501 Hudson Road, St. Paul, Minn. 55119 Continuation of application Ser. No. 587,814, Oct. 19, 1966. This application Dec. 15, 1969, Ser. No. 884,767

Int. Cl. 1332b 31/18 US. Cl. 156-521 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tape dispensing device in which the tape is transported from a rest position to a dispensed position on the surface of a member to which it is attracted by a physical force and including stationary bridge means for lifting successive portions of the tape from the transport member intermediate the rest and dispensed positions as the tape is moved and means for severing the tape in the lifted area to permitdispensing of random lengths.

This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 587,814, filed Oct. 19, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the dispensing and severing of various lengths of adhesive tape from a supply thereof, and in one aspect, to a novel dispensing, severing and applying apparatus for dispensing and severing lengths of normally tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive tape drawn from commercial supply rolls thereof and for applying such severed lengths to the surface of an object or article.

Devices are available for applying strips of pressuresensitive adhesive tape to objects or articles which may include sheet material. Such tape may be applied to sheet material, such as paper sheets, for purpose of reinforcing edges of the sheet or the tape may be adhesive transfer tape, permitting the application of an adhesive layer and removable backing strip to the sheet material. In any event, the tape is most accurately applied by the use of a rotatably mounted wheel which has vacuum means operative within the wheel to hold the tape against the Wheel and transport it to the article. One primary difficulty however has been in dispensing and severing the desired lengths of tape and particularly severing any desired length either before application or after partial application of the tape to the article moving through the taping area. A machine which would dispense, support, and sever a wide variety of tapes into a wide range of tape lengths has not been successfully demonstrated heretofore. Also, the severing and application of a wide range of tape lengths by a single machine has not been successfully demonstrated with any prior known machines.

Prior machines using vacuum support technology have severed the tape after the same is removed from the supply roll and placed upon the vacuum applicating wheel by crushing the same against an anvil surface on the vacuum wheel. This has been accomplished by a rotary knife which is driven synchronously with the vacuum wheel having blades to crush the tape between an edge thereof and an anvil on the wheel surface. These machines require close manufacturing tolerances and do not offer the desired versatility as to lengths of tape because of the synchronous driving relationship required to present th rotating anvil and blade in opposed cutting position. Other devices which use a swinging knife to sever the tape may use a tape applying head to place the end of a length or strip of tape onto the article or onto an applying and buffing roller. These devices are less desirable than vacuum applicators because placement of the tape is not as accurate.

The present invention provides a novel tape dispensing, severing, and applying machine which utilizes a physical force for transporting and supporting the tape, and a machine which has considerably more versatility relative ice to the lengths of tape it will dispense. The machine operation is independent of fixed parameters and is more economical than presently known devices using cr-ush cutters because of the removal of the close manufacturing tolerances required in crush cutting machines. Further, it provides a device which may be used with a wide variety of tapes and one which is more reliable as concerns successive feeding cycles.

The present invention provides the novel combinative relationship of a vacuum transport for moving tape from a supply to a dispensed position and a cutter mechanism wherein means are provided for lifting or temporarily removing the tape from the surface of the vacuum transport intermediate the position on the transport where the tape first engages the same and the end position where the tape leaves the transport or is transferred to an article The severing means, which may be actuated manually, in response to movement of the article, or in response to an automatic program, is positioned to sever the tape in the area in which it is removed from the vacuum transport. Means are also provided for holding, by physical force, the end of the tape after a length has been severed therefrom and for guiding the end back to the surface of the transport upon subsequent actuation to advance the tape.

The novel features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent and more fully described hereinbelow in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail bottom view taken in the direction of line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary side elevational views of the machine of BIG. 1 showing parts of the severing means in various positions; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary plan views of the severing means in positions corresponding respectively to 'FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, a supply roll 6 of tape 7, which may be any flexible web material and which is illustrated herein as a normally tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, is mounted on a freely rotatable hub 8. The tape is Withdrawn from the roll 6, adhesive side out, and travels over a guide roller 9 and onto a driven feed roll 11. The drive speed and duration for the feed roll may be varied to feed selected lengths of tape from the supply roll 6 to a movable tape transporting and supporting member illustrated herein as a vacuum wheel 12. The wheel 12 is provided with suction means so the end portion of a strip of tape placed upon the outer surface will adhere to the wheel to be moved thereby from a rest position to a dispensed position for removal as by application to an article. The feed wheel 11 has a sandpaper covering 13 on the outer peripheral surface thereof which engages the adhesive side of the tape 7. The wheel 11 is secured to and driven by a coaxial gear wheel 14 and is mounted on a shaft 16. Gear wheel 14 meshes with a pinion 17 supported on a drive shaft 18 by a commercially available one-way drive bearing 19 slidably mounted on the shaft 18. The bearing 19 permits movement and location of the machine along the length of shaft 18. Shaft 18 is driven from a suitable motor through a one-Way releasable spring drive clutch in the direction of the arrow 21. The gear wheel 14 also meshes with a braking pinion 22 which is rotatable on a fixed threaded rod 23. The rod 23 carries an adjustable threaded thumb screw 24 which forces, through a pair of washers and an intermediate compression spring, a braking disk 25 against the face of pinion 22, placing a continuous braking force thereon, affording more immediate stopping for the feed wheel 11 when the drive clutch for shaft 18 is released.

The free end of the tape adhering to the vacuum wheel 12 is carried thereby to an application area upon rotation of feed wheel 11. At the application or transfer area the tape is transferred from the vacuum wheel 12 to the article. In the illustrated embodiment a guide roller 26, which may have any desired length, is positioned beneath the vacuum Wheel on an axis parallel to that of the vacuum wheel defining the application or transfer area with the vacuum wheel between which the article to be taped, as illustrated sheets of paper or posters, may pass. In this area an adhesive tape may be applied for purposes of reinforcing edges of the sheets or a tape known as adhesive transfer tape, having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive lightly adhering to a removable paper backing, may be applied to form posters or stickers. Support plates 28 and 29 guide the article to be taped to and from the transfer area respectively, between the wheel 12 and roller 26. The roller 26 preferbaly has a plurality of circumferential axially spaced grooves 27 into which comb teeth formed on the support plate 29 may project to prevent the tape or the paper from wrapping on the roller 26. Articles are fed to the transfer area by a drive roller 31 and spring biased pressure wheel 32.

The vacuum wheel 12 has a gear wheel 33 mounted thereto and coaxial therewith on a fixed shaft 34. Gear Wheel 33 meshes with a pinion 35 mounted by a one-way drive bearing 3-6 to a continuously driven shaft 37. The vacuum wheel 12 is provided with a plurality of radially extending bores 38 communicating with axially extending bores 39. The bores 39 extend to the end of the wheel to communicate, upon rotation thereof, with openings or chambers in the opposed end wall of a fixed manifold 40. The manifold 40 is connected in a well known manner with a vacuum source such that the wheel 12 will draw the tape 7 against its peripheral surface when the tape is trained around it. In the illustrated device two different pressures are applied to the vacuum wheel. One vacuum source (not shown) operates through a conduit and manifold opening 41 to create a continuous subatmospheric pressure, in the area of the first quadrant of the wheel, of, for example, about 23 inches (600 mm.) of mercury. A second source of vacuum (not shown) operates through a conduit and manifold opening 42 to create a continuous subatmospheric pressure, but of lower vacuum, for example, about 3 inches (80 mm.) of mercury on the area of the Wheel representing the fourth quadrant of the wheel. These areas are respectively within the arcuate extent be tween the point Where the tape 7 first engages the vacuum Wheel to the location where the tape is lifted from the wheel and between the point where it is lifted to a point at which it is transferred to the article to be taped.

Positioned adjacent the wheel 12 and intermediate the ends of the area of the vacuum wheel 12 around which the tape travels, is a shoe or bridge piece 44 aifording means for lifting or temporarily removing the tape from the surface of the transport wheel 12. In the illustrated embodiment the bridge piece 44 is crescent-shaped in elevation, aifording a sharp leading edge to direct the tape 7 off the surface of wheel 12 across the outer convex peripheral surface of the piece 44 and back onto the wheel to a dispensed position toward the applying station. The piece 44 has an inner concave surface mating the outer peripheral surface of the vacuum Wheel 12 and the trailing edge of the piece 44 is truncated to form a fiat surface 45, (see FIG. 2) preferably substantially normal to the arcuate surface of piece '44, which affords means on one side of the tape path to aid in cutting the tape. Actually, at the junc ture between the outer arcuate surface and the flat surface 45 a cutting edge is formed cooperating with a blade disposed on the outer side of the tape. Because of the slight gap existing between the bridge piece and wheel 12; and the fact that when the machine is not applying tape, as shown in FIG. 1, the manifold 42 is connected through bores 38 and 39 directly to the ambient air around wheel 12; the source of vacuum connected to manifold opening 42 is capable of handling a large volume of air and thus able to maintain a subatmospheric pressure on the surface of wheel 12 and on the bridge piece 44, as will hereinafter be described.

A pivoted blade 46 which is shaped to converge toward its outer end and which has a beveled face to define a cutting edge, is mounted on the lower end of a rod 47 adjacent the piece 44 and to one side of the wheel 12. The blade 46 cooperates with the cutting edge on the piece 44 to provide cutting means disposed on opposite sides of the tape path for severing the tape into desired lengths, in the area: where the tape is lifted from the surface of the vacuum wheel 12. The rod 47 is mounted in and extends through a supporting frame 48 which is in turn secured by suitable means to the manifold 40 and through a planar supporting portion 49, which is integral with and supports the bridge piece 44 (see FIG. 2). The knife blade 46 is fitted onto a square lower end portion of rod 47 and is fixed thereto by a washer and screw 50. The blade 46 is biased into close fitting relation with the surface 45 of bridge piece 44 by a spring washer 51, e.g. a Belleville spring, positioned about the rod 47 between the frame 48 and a radial crank arm 52 which is secured to the top of the rod 47 for rotating the rod and the knife blade 46. The arm 52 is oscillated by a reciprocating link 54, and an oscillating shaft 55. Arm 52 is connected to the link 54 through a threaded eye bolt 56 and a stub shaft 57 fixed to the free end of arm 52. The eye bolt 56 and stub shaft 57 have a bearing connection affording some universal movement.

Alternatively this cutting means could comprise the bridge 44 acting as a stationary anvil for use with a rotary cutting knife, driven independently of the vacuum wheel 12, which would aiford versatility similar to that of the illustrated embodiment because the rotary movement of the knife would not have to be in timed relation with that of the vacuum wheel.

After a length of tape is severed from the strip of tape it is necessary that the end of the strip of tape be held against the bridge piece 44 so that upon subsequent activation of the feed wheel 11 the tape will be guided over the bridge piece, back to the surface of the wheel 12, and not follow the blade 46 or proceed in any direction except back to the surface of the wheel 12. The tape can be held against the bridge piece 44 by means of one or more small air jets directed toward the outer arcuate surface of the bridge. In the illustrated embodiment, an L-shaped block 58, formed with a pressure chamber, is adjustably mounted by suitable fasteners 59 to the frame 48, with the horizontal leg spaced from and generally parallel to the bridge piece 44. Three small discharge tubes 60 are placed in the horizontal leg in communication with the pressure chamber and are directed toward the bridge 44. The pressure chamber is connected by a suitable coupling 61 to a source of compressed air.

Also, as in the illustrated embodiment, the bridge 44 may have one or more tiny openings 62 extending from the outer peripheral surface thereof toward the vacuum wheel '12 to communicate with the bores 38. This allows the vacuum in the wheel 12 to act through the openings 62 and draw the tape toward the outer surface of the bridge piece. The outer surface of the bridge piece may further be formed with small grooves (see FIG. 5) to decrease the surface area contacting the tape as it moves across the bridge thereby reducing the amount of static charge on the tape.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vacuum wheel 12 is rotated continuously at a peripheral speed equal to or exceeding the linear speed of the tape 7 as it is fed fed by the feed wheel .11. Wheel 11 is driven intermittently through angles of rotation or for a time duration sufficient to feed the desired length of tape to the labeling area between vacuum wheel 12 and conveying roller 26. The drive for the wheel 11 and the reciprocating rod 54, for the cutter blade 46, should operate synchronously such that when feeding of the tape begins the knife is immediately opened and when feeding is stopped the cutting occurs substantially simultaneously. Also connected with the feed arrangement is a solenoid assembly 64 having a coil and an armature with a link 66 connected to the armature and depending along the frame with the lower end positioned between the feed wheel 11 and the vacuum wheel 12. The terminal end of the link carries a pin 67 which is positioned below the path of the tape 7 in the normal operating position. Upon stopping the rotation of the feed wheel 11 the cutter blade is actuated to cut the tape and the solenoid 64 is subsequently energized to lift the tape by means of the pin 67, for retracting the cut end of the tape strip on the bridge piece 44 to a position above the cutting edge. The separation of the severed end of the tape slightly above the cutting edge decreases the possibility of the end of the tape being directed away from the bridge piece 44 and vacuum wheel 12 when the knife opens upon a subsequent actuation of the machine.

Means is also provided for lubricating the edge of the blade 46 to limit wear thereof against the fiat surface 49 of the bridge piece 44 and to resist adhesive on the tape from adhering to the blade. This lubricating is accomplished by forming a cavity in the lower face. of L-shaped block 58 and disposing a felt pad 68 in the cavity which projects therebelow and engages the upper surface of the blade 46. An opening may be formed in the top of the block 58 which communicates with the cavity, for purposes of periodically saturating the pad 68 with oil.

FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate the open position of the blade 46 as the tape 7 is carried around the vacuum wheel 12 and its applied to an article 70. FIGS. 4 and 6 illustrate the position of the blade 46 as it severs the tape 7 upon termination of the feed of the tape by the feed wheel 11 from the supply source 6. As the blade 46 moves from the open retracted position to the closed severing position, continued rotation of vacuum wheel 12 carries the severed length of tape to the article 70.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the operation of the machine may be controlled manually or by means of a program to cut the tape into the lengths desired or when desired. When feeding sheets of paper to place a strip of tape along the length of the sheet an electric eye may be used in advance of the nip area between the wheel 12 and roller 26 to energize the machine as the leading edge enters the taping area and to discontinue feed and cut the tape as the trailing edge of the paper approaches the taping area. The electric sensing switch may also be used to start a program, as the leading edge of the article approaches the transfer station, which will control the operation of the applicator to apply one or more short lengths of tape to the article as it moves past the transfer station. Thus while the article is passing through the transfer area or transfer station, either a continuous strip of tape may be applied or the machine may be programmed to apply a number of shorter lengths of tape.

In applying very limp plastic tapes the amount of air pressure and/or suction applied at the outer arcuate surface of the bridge piece 44 should be less than when applying stiffer, paper-backed tapes. Too much pressure on the bridge does not allow the limp tape to push the free end of the strip over the bridge back onto the surface of the wheel 12.

It has been noted that different materials forming various tapes may have an affinity with relation to the material forming wheel 12 which may be the same, a similar or different material than the tape, or in some instances create a static charge which is sufficient to adhere the web to the wheel, with very little or no suction,

such that the tape will be moved therewith. In these instances the vacuum force may be decreased or the wheel may be formed with circumferential ridges and grooves to decrease this affinity, if not to be utilized to aid in the transport of the tape. In any event however, whether the transporting and supporting member is the Wheel, as illustrated, or a bar and Whether the tape is adhered by suction or other attractive force, the tape is lifted from the surface of the member to effect severing and the free end of the strip is held in place to be guided back to the transport upon subsequent actuation to afford further feeding.

Having thus described my invention by reference to a preferred embodiment and its operation, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for severing and dispensing lengths of tape comprising:

a movable tape transport member having a tape supporting surface and having means for applying a physical force on the end portion of a strip of tape to attract the same to said surface for movement therewith and to support the tape,

means for supporting a supply of tape with the free end portion of a said tape extending along at least a portion of said tape supporting surface,

means for mounting said member for movement to carry a said end portion of the tape from a rest position toward a dispensed position,

stationary bridge means for lifting successive portions of the tape from said member intermediate said tape rest and dispensed positions during movement of the tap? by said member toward said dispensed position, an

means positioned on each side of the tape in the area where the tape is lifted for severing said tape when a desired length is dispensed.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, with the addition of means for applying a physical holding force on the end of a said tape after a length has been severed therefrom, which force may be overcome to afford subsequent advancement of another length of a said tape, said force being applied where a said tape is lifted from said member.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for lifting the tape comprises a bridge member positioned adjacent the transport member and over which the tape is progressively moved lifting the same temporarily from said transport member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for severing said tape comprises a fixed cutting member positioned adjacent the tape supporting surface of said transport member and across which a said tape is moved, and a movable cutting member cooperating with said fixed cutting member to sever the dispensed length of tape.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein means are provided for retracting the free end portion of a said supply of tape along the stationary bridge means toward said supply from said means for severing said tape upon said tape being severed.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for lifting the tape comprises a stationary bridge member positioned adjacent the surface of said transport member to progressively lift the tape from said surface, and wherein means are provided for holding the free end of a said tape at the bridge member When a length of tape has been severed from said tape.

7. An apparatus for applying a severed length of adhesive tape to the surface of an article, comprising a continuously rotating tape dispensing wheel having a cylindrical pheripheral surface of substantially constant radius of curvature, disposed with its peripheral surface adjacent an area defining a tape applying station, means applying vacuum to said wheel tending to cause a said tape to adhere to the peripheral surface of the Wheel and travel therewith through a predetermined arcuate extent during its rotation, means for supporting a supply of a said tape with a free end portion trained adhesive side out around said peripheral surface in advance of the portion of said peripheral surface disposed adjacent said tape applying station, stationary bridge means intermediate said tape applying station and the portion of said peripheral surface to which the tape is first adhered for lifting successive portions of the tape from said peripheral surface as the tape is moved toward said applying station by said wheel, and means disposed on opposite sides of the area where the tape is lifted from said peripheral surface of the wheel for severing the tape.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means for lifting the tape comprises a stationary bridge piece positioned adjacent the periphery of said wheel and across which said tape is directed during movement of the tape toward a dispensed position at the applying station.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein means are provided for applying a force on the tape as the same is moved across said bridge piece and for applying a force on the free end of a said tape, after a length has been severed therefrom, restricting movement of a said free end away from said bridge piece until subsequent actuation of the apparatus to dispense more tape.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said means for severing the tape comprises a stationary cutting element disposed adjacent the peripheral surface of said wheel and a movable blade cooperating with said element to sever the tape.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means for lifting the tape from said peripheral surface of the wheel comprises a bridge piece, mounted in a stationary position adjacent said peripheral surface of said wheel, which piece has a concave surface mating a portion of the surface of said wheel and a convex surface over which the tape is passed, and said means for severing the tape comprises a cutting edge formed on said piece and a pivotably mounted blade cooperating with said edge to cut the tape, and comprising pressure means for holding the free end of a tape on said bridge piece after a length of tape has been severed.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein means are provided for retracting the free end portion of a said supply of tape along the stationary bridge means toward said supply from said means for severing said tape upon said tape being severed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,731,713 10/1929 Dennire 83--151 2,728,532 12/1955 Bower et a1. 24256A 2,966,085 12/1960 Hanson 83-922 3,174,372 3/1965 Huck 83152 3,266,282 12/1965 Jackson l56--519 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. V. DORAMUS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

